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Charlie Kirk was shot and later died at a speaking event in Utah on Wednesday, prompting emotional reactions from prominent figures across sports.
President Donald Trump later announced that Kirk had died, in a post on Truth Social.
The sports figures who weighed in after Kirk was initially shot included NFL legend Brett Favre, former Pittsburgh Steelers stars Antonio Brown and LeVeon Bell, former NFL wide receiver Golden Tate, New York Yankees World Series champion Mark Teixeira, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, boxers Jake Paul and Ryan Garcia, Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl, former MLB pitcher John Rocker, sports broadcaster Michelle Tafoya and Sports Illustrated journalist Albert Breer.
CHARLIE KIRK, TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER, DEAD AT 31 AFTER UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING
New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart made a series of posts on his Instagram Stories, sharing his thoughts on the shooting.
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“This is some bull s— man! Absolutely sickening!” Dart wrote in one story, adding in another, “Praying for him and his family! Charlie did great things for our country! Political violence needs to stop! Pray for our country man! This is disgusting and sad!”
Other figures related to sports who have spoken out include Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and OutKick founder Clay Travis.
Several other figures in sports and sports media offered their thoughts and prayers.
Trump announced Kirk’s death at 4:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!” Trump wrote.
Video posted from the event appeared to show Kirk being shot as he spoke to the crowd from under a white pop-up tent.
CHARLIE KIRK, TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER, DEAD AT 31 AFTER UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING
In this file photo, Charlie Kirk stands for a portrait at a anti-Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation protest on the U.S. Capitol Grounds, during which Kirk was filming for a project he declined to disclose, in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 4, 2018. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA)
After the shot, the crowd dispersed, with onlookers shouting, “Run, run, run!”
In a statement to Fox News, Ellen Treanor, Associate Vice President, Strategic Communication Management at Utah Valley University said that the shooting happened at about 12:20 p.m. local time.
In a campus-wide alert, Utah Valley University said that: “A single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker. Police are investigating now.”
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Charlie Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point USA, speaks during the Republican National Convention seen on a laptop computer in Tiskilwa, Illinois, U.S., on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Kirk had been scheduled to appear at Utah Valley University on Wednesday as part of his American Comeback Tour, with another stop at Utah State University later this month.
Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
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